Tumblr is a microblogging platform that is somewhat similar to Twitter, but instead of being limited to just 140 characters, users can post text, photos, quotes, links, chats, audio and/or video files onto what is called their tumblelog. These posts stream into what is known as the “Dashboard.” Users may queue posts, save posts as drafts for later posting, save a post as private so that only the user can view the post, and/or the user can create entirely new tumblelogs in conjunction with their default tumblelog. Users of Tumblr can follow other tumblelogs, whose posts will also stream onto the user's Dashboard. In the Dashboard (or through permalinks), the user has the option of “liking” others' posts, which signifies to the other tumblelog that the user likes his/her content, and/or the user can “reblog” posts with the option of adding context or opinion so that followers of the user may also see the content and respond. The number of likes and reblogs total into what are called “notes.”
In May 2009, Tumblr introduced Tumblarity, which utilized some seemingly nonsensical algorithm which measured the user's popularity on Tumblr. Tumblarity was somehow based on the number of followers the user acquired, the number of original posts made by the user, how many times that post was reblogged and how many times it was liked. This triggered Tumblr-users' inner-number-hoarder in a frenzy, turning Tumblr into a popularity contest and the ultimate outlet for narcissism. Suddenly, all that mattered was how many Tumblarity points the user could score and how high a position in the Tumblr directory of regional and national popularity charts the user could ascertain. By providing users with this metric, Tumblr encouraged users to post more popular things, and Tumblr was able to grow, gaining popularity, reeling in more users and, in turn, sponsors/investors. However, towards the end of 2009, Tumblr scrapped Tumblarity (to some users' dismay and to others' relief).
Tumblarity drove users to narrow their content down, depending on what posts generated the most response. Despite the termination of Tumblarity, users continue this pattern of posting, thus creating the several Tumblr communities. Among these communities are the Tumblr novelties, the fuckyeah[__].tumblr.com blogs. These tumblelogs are dedicated to posting specific content, from celebrities, any one celebrity in particular, bikes, art, volcanoes, food, a specific food... anything. One could fill in the blank with any noun and it would most likely pull up a gratuitous blog. There exists fuckyeahfrenchfries, fuckyeahhearts, fuckyeaholiviamunn, fuckyeahpuns, fuckyeahtattoos, fuckyeahbadtattoos, fuckyeahtattoosthatdontsuck, etc. Other communities consist of tumblelogs dedicated to regurgitating humor for the desensitized, with Internet memes originated from an anonymous message board; tumblelogs for the tragically hip, catering to those who drool for floral-patterned clothes, pictures of space with random text across in Helvetica text, Skins (UK only!!!!), etc.; and personal tumblelogs where users like to post about their lives, however exciting (or bland).
Overview
Tumblr is a microblogging platform that is somewhat similar to Twitter, but instead of being limited to just 140 characters, users can post text, photos, quotes, links, chats, audio and/or video files onto what is called their tumblelog. These posts stream into what is known as the “Dashboard.” Users may queue posts, save posts as drafts for later posting, save a post as private so that only the user can view the post, and/or the user can create entirely new tumblelogs in conjunction with their default tumblelog. Users of Tumblr can follow other tumblelogs, whose posts will also stream onto the user's Dashboard. In the Dashboard (or through permalinks), the user has the option of “liking” others' posts, which signifies to the other tumblelog that the user likes his/her content, and/or the user can “reblog” posts with the option of adding context or opinion so that followers of the user may also see the content and respond. The number of likes and reblogs total into what are called “notes.”
In May 2009, Tumblr introduced Tumblarity, which utilized some seemingly nonsensical algorithm which measured the user's popularity on Tumblr. Tumblarity was somehow based on the number of followers the user acquired, the number of original posts made by the user, how many times that post was reblogged and how many times it was liked. This triggered Tumblr-users' inner-number-hoarder in a frenzy, turning Tumblr into a popularity contest and the ultimate outlet for narcissism. Suddenly, all that mattered was how many Tumblarity points the user could score and how high a position in the Tumblr directory of regional and national popularity charts the user could ascertain. By providing users with this metric, Tumblr encouraged users to post more popular things, and Tumblr was able to grow, gaining popularity, reeling in more users and, in turn, sponsors/investors. However, towards the end of 2009, Tumblr scrapped Tumblarity (to some users' dismay and to others' relief).
Tumblarity drove users to narrow their content down, depending on what posts generated the most response. Despite the termination of Tumblarity, users continue this pattern of posting, thus creating the several Tumblr communities. Among these communities are the Tumblr novelties, the fuckyeah[__].tumblr.com blogs. These tumblelogs are dedicated to posting specific content, from celebrities, any one celebrity in particular, bikes, art, volcanoes, food, a specific food... anything. One could fill in the blank with any noun and it would most likely pull up a gratuitous blog. There exists fuckyeahfrenchfries, fuckyeahhearts, fuckyeaholiviamunn, fuckyeahpuns, fuckyeahtattoos, fuckyeahbadtattoos, fuckyeahtattoosthatdontsuck, etc. Other communities consist of tumblelogs dedicated to regurgitating humor for the desensitized, with Internet memes originated from an anonymous message board; tumblelogs for the tragically hip, catering to those who drool for floral-patterned clothes, pictures of space with random text across in Helvetica text, Skins (UK only!!!!), etc.; and personal tumblelogs where users like to post about their lives, however exciting (or bland).
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